Mt. Oglethorpe Foundation announced earlier this spring that trails at their park on the end of Monument Road are open and it great shape, courtesy of work by the local Mt. Stewards trail group. Here is a brief description of the trails supplied by the Mt. Stewards.

Access:Follow Rt. 136 to Burnt Mt. and turn south on Monument Road. Follow Monument Road to the very end (about 5 miles) and enter the Eagle’s Rest site. Drive up the hill to the parking location on the side road off of the main access road. The trails begin off of the parking area.

Eagle’s Rest Trail: This trail is relatively level with minor elevation changes. The trail circles Oglethorpe Mt. in a clockwise direction returning back to the parking area within ½ mile. Follow the white blazes.

Oglethorpe Mt. Trail: This trail is 1.7 miles long with a 500 foot elevation change down and back up. The trail is rated moderate to strenuous depending on your hiking skill level and should only be hiked by seasoned hikers accustomed to longer hikes. Follow the yellow blazes.

The Mt. Oglethorpe Trail begins at the same location as the Eagle’s Ridge Trail and follows that trail around the mountain to the east and then south for ¼ mile. On the south side of the mountain, the Oglethorpe Mt. Trail branches off to the south and heads down the mountain ridge before turning back to the west making the 500 foot elevation drop. In ½ mile, the trail will come to a short trail that leads to a picnic table and the double springs where the hiker can rest.

From the double springs, the trail continues to the west for 0.1 mile to reach the old CCC Road where the trail turns north (to the right) and follows the CCC Road for ½ mile to the next turn. Where the CCC Road makes a 90 degree turn, the trail will also turn back to the east and head up the mountain for a 1/3 mile to the trail starting point. Near the turn from the CCC Road is another picnic table for resting before completing the trail to the top of the mountain.